In Wang Jinsong’s childhood, shadow puppetry(皮影戏), a theatrical performance that uses the shadow of puppets (木偶) cast onto a screen, was a form of children’s entertainment. Wang referred to the folk art as“magic”, not because of the performers’ techniques, but because of the happiness the art used to bring to the village in the old days. Dating back to 2,000 years, shadow puppetry combines painting, carving, opera, literature and music. Today, it still provides a lot of inspiration for Chinese cartoons, captivating generations of audiences.
At the same time, different schools appeared in different places, such as Shanxi Province, Beijing and Hebei Province. Tangshan shadow play belongs to the Hebei branch. Going through ups and downs in the last 400 years, it has developed into an established school. “It has had a great impact on the development of many shadow puppetry schools in North China,” Wang said.
In Tangshan shadow puppetry, artists handle their puppets on strings behind the screen while one artist tells a story through song, at times improvising (即兴表演) as they go along. “The song’s scripts are the most difficult part to inherit,” Wang said. In the past, students could only learn them by carefully taking in their teacher’s performance. Due to low income and extensive training, young people today were less willing to study shadow play.
Fortunately, its development has gained attention. In 2016, shadow play was included on the national cultural heritage list. It’s been introduced in schools as part of local culture, and has gained many more young fans this way. According to Wang, the Tangshan Shadow Puppetry Troupe has been receiving more government support and provides viewers with more innovative and high-quality performances.
In 2019, Tangshan built a park themed on this art where visitors can learn more about the culture and history of shadow puppetry. “We hope to revive (复活) the ancient art in a modern and fun way,” Li Shaohui, manager of the park told Xinhua News Agency.
8. Why did Wang refer to the folk art as magic?
A.Because shadow puppetry itself is a magic. | B.Because the perfomers have good techniques. |
C.Because the art brought people enjoyment. | D.Because the performers are good at painting. |
9. What is the attitude towards the future of shadow puppetry according to Wang Jinsong?
A.Objective. | B.Indifferent | C.Depressed. | D.Optimistic. |
10. Which statement about Tangshan shadow play is NOT true?
A.It is part of the Hebei branch. | B.It is popular with more young people. |
C.It has a history of 400 years as a school. | D.It has influenced many shadow puppetry schools. |
11. What’s the main idea of the text?
A.Chinese shadow puppetry is in danger at present. |
B.It’s about the origin of China’s art of shadow puppetry. |
C.Tangshan shadow puppetry went through many ups and downs. |
D.It introduces the development of China’s art of shadow puppetry. |